Development, Optimization and Validation of a RP-HPLC-UV Method for the Determination of Benzoic Acid in Selected Food Products

A reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography method with ultraviolet detection (RP-HPLC-UV) had been established and evaluated for determining benzoic acid in selected commercial food products. the C-18 analytical column (25.0cm × 4.6 mm, 5 µm) and the isocratic methanol–water mobile phase (40: 60 , v/v) using glacial acetic acid adjusted to pH 3.5 were used for chromatographic separation. The detection was done at 228 nm, the temperature of column was 25 °C, and the rate of flow was 1.0 mL per min. Benzoic acid showed a retention duration of about 4.24 minutes under the chosen circumstances. With a coefficient of determination of 0.9997, the technique demonstrated a linear calibration response over 1.0–50.0 µg/mL. The detection limit and quantification limit were reported to be 1.04 and 3.16 µg/mL, respectively. With relative standard deviations less than 1.4%, recovery values for the examined beverage matrices varied from 98.88% to 101.55%. Benzoic acid values in commercial food samples were 120.5 mg/L in orange juice, 145.0 mg/L in cola drink, and 45.2 mg/kg in tomato paste. Under analytical conditions, benzoic acid was not found in apple nectar These results show that the examined matrices have good analytical performance. Before the approach may be deemed adequately validated for routine food-safety monitoring, additional clarification about extraction processes, selectivity, validation calculations, and applicable regulatory limits is required.